head chef

wagamama; Brighton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to £8,000 annual bonus

Private medical insurance

50% off wagamama outside of work

Free meals on shift

Earned pay access (wagestream)

Maternity/paternity pay 26/13 weeks

Early menu access

Discounts at other brands

Job summary

wagamama is seeking a head chef for a full-time role. Lead the kitchen, drive fast service, and ensure every bowl is something to be proud of. You’ll coach your team, maintain high quality, and keep the operation energetic and dedicated to fresh food with no microwaves.

You’ll love this role if you want to learn, lead, and level up, thrive in a fresh kitchen, and take real pride in your food and team. A kaizen mindset will help you push for better daily.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a busy kitchen as head chef.
• Proven ability to coach and develop a team under pressure.
• Strong focus on fresh ingredients, consistency and taste.

Responsibilities

• Creating a place where your team feels safe, seen, and proud to show up.
• Maintaining high quality in every bowl, every service.
• Coaching your team to build confidence and skills.
• Staying calm under pressure and moving quickly.
• Making the kitchen a place people want to work and guests enjoy.
• Thinking with a Kaizen mindset and driving small improvements daily.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Quality control

Kaizen mindset

Job description

head chef | full time

at wagamama, food is life.

our kitchens are all about fresh food, fast-paced, and full of real people making real food. no microwaves, no shortcuts, just big energy and bigger flavours. as head chef, you’ll run the kitchen like it’s your own. lead the team, smash service, and make sure every bowl is something to be proud of

What You’ll Be Doing

• creating a place where your team feels safe, seen, and proud to show up
• keeping quality sky-high. every bowl, every time
• coaching your team to grow in confidence and skill
• staying cool under pressure and being fast on your feet
• making your kitchen a place where people want to work and guests can taste the pride
• thinking with a kaizen mindset. constantly spotting the little ways we can do things better, then making them happen

you’ll love this role if you...

• are ready to learn, lead + level up
• thrive in a fresh kitchen with no microwaves
• take real pride in your food and your team
• want to push for better. from prep to bowl
• believe kitchens should be places of connection, creativity + good vibes

What You’ll Get

• a culture that supports your growth, wellbeing + individuality
• up to £8,000 annual bonus
• £200 a month to spend at wagamama outside of work
• private medical insurance
• 50% off wagamama outside of work
• free meals on shift
• fresh dry-cleaned chef whites, every shift
• early access to earned pay with wagestream
• 26 weeks full pay + 13 weeks half pay for new parents
• first access to our new menus
• 30% off at our other brands (brunning & price pubs, barburrito + more)

in addition to this, we offer benefits such as: pension scheme, holiday, training, cycle to work scheme, retail + leisure discounts, discounted gym memberships + long service awards

we’re proud to be a disability confident employer. no matter where you’re from or who you are, you’ve got a seat at our bench